Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

COURTS ESTABLISIHED. 331
nient for the loss of the train near Ramas on the 24th of February; and even the collection of that was suspended, and
its final decision made to depend on the future good conduct
of the rancheros.
With the restoration of tranquility in the conquered States
came the necessity for the establishment of tribunals for its
preservation and the administration of justice. Unfortunately for the AMexicans, the American government did not
think proper to bless the States of Tanmaulipas, New Leon
and Coahlluila with such permanent governments as it had
bestowed upon ~Ncw Mexico and California. That work, in
the rapid march of events on this continent, it will be called
upon to perform at no distant day, to the great benefit of Liberty and Christianity. Our armies, however, assumed temporarily supreme civil as well as military jurisdiction; and
boards of officers —" courts of military commission" —were
organized for the adjudication of all cases, not falling within
the cognizance of courts-martial. By these all disputes between Americans and Mexicans were adjusted. Their jurisdiction extended to the whole catalogue of Crime, and the
punishments were awarded in accordance with the laws of
the particular State which the officers composing the court
happened to represent. The citadel at Monterey was converted into a quasi-penitentiary, and scarcely a day passed
after the establishment of the 6 commission" at Monterey,
in which some ccvcaier d'inldlestrie was not sentenced to
hard beans and labor at the fort. That court was organized
soon after our return from Camargo, and I can safely affirm
that, clduring the two months in which I was familiar with its